Pike and Shot Armies

[RabidSheepLegion]

Anybody have any good ideas for them? I like to have either 2 or 4 gunpowder artillery on my flanks (1-2 each side) double layered pike and halb line of about 5 each with a small gap in between where my gunners can shoot through. I have two mounted arques and usually 2 more of the heaviest cav I can get

[JorisofHolland]

Gunners can be deployed just in front of the pikes (between the pikes, actually). There they give a few volleys and then retreat behind the line. Later on, you can use them for a flank attack, though this makes them very vulnerable.

[Paladin94610]

Place pikemen in guard-mode in the front line. Place the archers or gunners amongst the spiking pikes. You can place two lines of archers in front of the pike-men. Then place some halberdiers on the second line. And don't forget to add some flexible swords infantry, like broken lances, armored swordsmen, foot knights, etc.

Notice: Don't charge your cavalry through your own pikemen, your cavalry would be killed by your own pikemen. You just don't have to charge, you can run or walk through your own pike wall. I have my general killed by my own pikes and have decimated my own cavalry with my own pikes. And you need LATE pikemen to kill Gendarmes, Gothic Knights, Lancers and early reiters and such armored horses. Using pikes, will get your pikemen eaten by the gendarmes themselves.

Advantages of Pike and Shot
- Extremely defensive formation very useful as defensive battles.
- If all units advances as a whole body without disrupting formations, it will break every wave of attack.

Disadvatages of Pike and Shot
- Hard to maneuver
- The survival of the flanking cavalry will decide who will win the day, so weakened cavalry will lead you to a disaster.

[meese]

I like to have a unit or two of light cavalry with the fast-moving attribute, but that's just me.

[Rowdytavern]

Playing as the French I like to use their pike men, about 4 units and then 4 units of Volguers just in front of the pike men so that the tips of the pikes are just in front of the Volguers. This makes for a solid line that can defeat heavy cavalry or Heavy infantry. I then use some Arquebusiers just infront of my line (set to skirmish and in "loose formation" on my flanks I like gendarmes or knights. Then I like using some sort of cannon for moral purposes and then one or two generals just in case.